July 1, 2011

We've been discussing the news that the Kaukauna school district here in Wisconsin has gone from a $400,000 budget deficit to an estimated $1.5 million surplus as a result of the the new collective bargaining laws, and that question — raised here by Byron York — came up in the comments. It is the key question. From York's answer:

In the past, Kaukauna's agreement with the teachers union required the school district to purchase health insurance coverage from something called WEA Trust -- a company created by the Wisconsin teachers union. "It was in the collective bargaining agreement that we could only negotiate with them," says [Kaukauna school board President Todd] Arnoldussen. "Well, you know what happens when you can only negotiate with one vendor." This year, WEA Trust told Kaukauna that it would face a significant increase in premiums.

Now, the collective bargaining agreement is gone, and the school district is free to shop around for coverage. And all of a sudden, WEA Trust has changed its position. "With these changes, the schools could go out for bids, and lo and behold, WEA Trust said, 'We can match the lowest bid,'" says Republican state Rep. Jim Steineke, who represents the area and supports the Walker changes. At least for the moment, Kaukauna is staying with WEA Trust, but saving substantial amounts of money.

Then there are work rules. "In the collective bargaining agreement, high school teachers only had to teach five periods a day, out of seven," says Arnoldussen. "Now, they're going to teach six." In addition, the collective bargaining agreement specified that teachers had to be in the school 37 1/2 hours a week. Now, it will be 40 hours.

The changes mean Kaukauna can reduce the size of its classes -- from 31 students to 26 students in high school and from 26 students to 23 students in elementary school. In addition, there will be more teacher time for one-on-one sessions with troubled students.

I read York's column. What do you know? When competition enters the scenario, the greedy teachers' insurance company agreed to lower their rates. Nasty, evil, greedy capitalist, starve-grandma teachers!

The National Education Association will be honoring Wisconsin's 14 Democratic senators Saturday for fleeing the state.

State Sen. Robert Wirch, D-Pleasant Prairie, who represents Burlington, was one of the 14 who went to Illinois to avoid voting on Gov. Scott Walker's budget repair bill.

"The lawmakers will receive 'NEA's Friend of Education' award for making the bold and unprecedented decision to leave the state of Wisconsin earlier this year, rather than vote for a controversial bill that would weaken and possibly eliminate collective bargaining for Wisconsin public employees," stated a National Education Association press release issued Thursday.

The award will be presented during the association's annual meeting in Chicago.

I remember people yelling loudly (you had to to be heard over the protestors) about effects just like the single-vendor stipulations in the CBA. I do not remember anyone giving decent defence to the CBA's in light of outcomes just like the ones outlined above.

As noted in the article, single-source vending puts the buyer at a severe disadvantage. How is it the union wouldn't bid their contracts out on a regular basis to get the best services at the least cost?

Stealing money is harder to do if everyone can see you doing it. They will either say stop thief...or they will demand a taste of the loot. All of the rules for smooth Thievery Operations are set forth in Chicago Handbook. Today we are being governed under those rules coming out of DC ( The District of Chicago.) The Global Warming Hoax, the IMF and the FED are tuning up their instruments getting ready to play a complete Wagnerian Symphony of theft called currency devaluation.

"And all of a sudden, WEA Trust has changed its position. "With these changes, the schools could go out for bids, and lo and behold, WEA Trust said, 'We can match the lowest bid,'" says Republican state Rep. Jim Steineke..."

It seems to me that this cascade of effects is going to be too diffuse for Walker or the WI-GOP to claim outright victory on the matter. How widespread was the last-minute negotiations between the unions and various boards around the state and what are the terms of those contracts? In other words, the positives like Kaukauna may be drown in a sea of status quo for long enough (a couple years or so?) for the Dems to regain control of a chamber or two without having to face the cacophony.

The idea that the unions all agreed to the benefits concessions without the need for Walker's ACT 10 is a fallacy.

Just google some comments from the head of the largest teachers union, the one in Milwaukee. That union still has not accepted the pension and health concessions as of yesterday and thus MPS is going to layoff 500 plus employees.

If Walker didn't put though the collective bargaining limits, we'd never get these concessions.

The juxtaposition of the Kaukauna and NEA Friends of Education stories tells all what this has always been all about. Walker saves a school district and the Fleabaggers are the education heroes. It also is the tell on exactly what would have been the ultimate outcome if Walker had backed off the collective bargaining restrictions and taken short term concessions. Education is all about teachers and their union prospering. Fuck the kids.

Before this, I had only heard of Kaukauna in the context of the very best spreadable cheese I have ever had. First tasted it at a restaurant in Balboa California. Did not know it came from an, apparently, delightful city in Wisconsin.

The changes mean Kaukauna can reduce the size of its classes -- from 31 students to 26 students in high school and from 26 students to 23 students in elementary school. In addition, there will be more teacher time for one-on-one sessions with troubled students.

If one bothers to do the math, the last statement, at least for high school teachers, is an outright lie.

5*31 = 155 students per teacher6*26 = 156 students per teacher

So not only does the teacher have to spend more time in class (an extra period each day) with the extra planning that entails, but they will actually have an additional student.

This is another example how all interests are special in the sense of the dichotomy between special interests and the public interest. Those claiming to speak for the public interest themselves depend on taxpayer funding for their own prestige and livelihood. So pious protestations to the contrary notwithstanding, the speakers' private interests generally coincide with their descriptions of the public interest. We lose sight of that at the peril of our pocketbooks.

We talked about the WEA insurance when the protests were all going on. It seemed blindingly obvious the union rules were making it more expensive per teacher, but the money wasn't going to the teachers.

You always have to look for what's really going on when people start screaming about rights that aren't really rights.

No. Teachers unions don't budge on any issues unless forced to do so and concessions aren't permanent. If anyone is interested, here's a link to what I believe is the original Madison 2009-2011 collective bargaining agreement that has been redlined to show the concessions that the Madison teachers made for 2011-2013 before the collective bargaining bill went into effect http://www.madisonteachers.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Teacher-Contract-Revisions-2011-13.pdf MTI's president strongly opposed making any of these concessions.

"There is no freedom w/o choice." With all the rancor, this is the fundamental point in play. And, the unions are against choice. All idealogues are against choice unless they're libertarian. Republicans want school choice but are opposed to choice in abortion. Democrats are in favor of a right to choose abortion, but are opposed to school choice and an employees right to choose whether they want to join a labor union. There is hypocrisy on these and other issues of choice on both sides.

"In the collective bargaining agreement, high school teachers only had to teach five periods a day, out of seven," says Arnoldussen. "Now, they're going to teach six." In addition, the collective bargaining agreement specified that teachers had to be in the school 37 1/2 hours a week. Now, it will be 40 hours.

...

Teachers' salaries will stay "relatively the same," Arnoldussen says, except for higher pension and health care payments. (The top salary is around $80,000 per year, with about $35,000 in additional benefits, for 184 days of work per year -- summers off.)"

"With these changes, the schools could go out for bids, and lo and behold, WEA Trust said, 'We can match the lowest bid,'" says Republican state Rep. Jim Steineke, who represents the area and supports the Walker changes. At least for the moment, Kaukauna is staying with WEA Trust, but saving substantial amounts of money.

Assuming the contract bidding did take place, and that, afterward, the District took WEA up on the offer, I'd be surprised if the District didn't run afoul of State law governing bidding, particularly the non-collusion portion.

If I were the low bidder and lost the contract because of this "outside the bidding process deal", I know I'd be suing.

ndspinelli said..."There is no freedom w/o choice." With all the rancor, this is the fundamental point in play. And, the unions are against choice. All idealogues are against choice unless they're libertarian. Republicans want school choice but are opposed to choice in abortion. Democrats are in favor of a right to choose abortion, but are opposed to school choice and an employees right to choose whether they want to join a labor union. There is hypocrisy on these and other issues of choice on both sides."

This is so stupid it's painful. The pro life (that you refer to as Republican) issue of abortion is not one of "choice" or not by a single party, it's about a second party, the baby's right to life. The left views it from ONLY the regarding the mother...when it's convenient. The fetus is nothing more than tissue...inconsequential. Hence "choice".

My company used have a virtual monopoly in our niche market. We were did pretty good with that.

Then the Chinese copied everything, and with wages in cents rather than dollars they were poised to wipe us out. Incredibly, we found ways of lowering our costs and dropped our prices by half to compete.

We survived and prospered even more in the years after. We didn't really work any harder and we continued to make about the same profit. It was all accomplished through relatively minor sacrifices, better ideas and a more serious approach.

Its is truly magic what competition, and an existential challenge can do, but it is not automatic. Nearly all of our American competition failed and got out of the market, which just made it better for us.

The recent recession hit our industry hard, and we were decimated losing 80% of our market nearly overnight due to shut downs and bankruptcy. Over the last 2 years we have completely turned it around. For the last 6 months, we have been hiring, paying monthly bonuses and today every employee is getting a substantial raise. It's glorious!

It was all possible by what what we developed in ourselves due to facing and embracing competition.

But it is not automatic. People by nature hunker down and resist and go on defense. It takes leadership to create and direct energy in a better direction. It takes courage. I never heard of the man before this all started, but Scott Walker needs a statue, and the voters were wise.

I get it Meade..only Democrats are hypocrites. Well.when you're truly independent and a free thinker one can't help but chuckle @ these robot responses. Being raised Catholic, I don't believe in capital punishment or abortion. However, I respect the law. Being a male, I will never have to make a personal choice on abortion. Regarding the death sentence, I would be recused from ever being on a capital case[only Fed in Wi.]. Idealogues show their half brains when they think only the other side is hypocritical. Fotunately, we independents are the ones who decide elections.

Do all truly independent people and free thinkers lack reading comprehension skills as well? Because that's not what Meade said. He responded to your specific, and (as repeatedly pointed out) stupid example. If you'd like to go back again and pick another example of Republican hypocrisy that actually works, like say their support ethanol subsidies and opposition to diary supports, then you might be able to present a coherent argument. But as it is, you haven't.

It is exactly what I said yesterday and EXACTLY what we did in our own district.

The ability of the district to cut costs by shopping around for health insurance and to have the employees begin contributing a small amount towards their own benefit packages made all the difference.

The Union controlled mandatory health insurance provider was overcharging. Now that they are forced to compete.....suddenly.....they can lower costs. Amazing.

Without Walker forcing these changes through legislative remedy, NOTHING would have changed because the Union thugs would still have a strangle hold over the schools and the rest of the governmental agencies and would still be extorting money from the taxpayers to line their own pockets.

I wonder all all the useful idiots in Wisconsin feel now that they know just what they were shilling for and how destructive their status quo has been.

It seems to me that this cascade of effects is going to be too diffuse for Walker or the WI-GOP to claim outright victory on the matter. How widespread was the last-minute negotiations between the unions and various boards around the state and what are the terms of those contracts? In other words, the positives like Kaukauna may be drown in a sea of status quo for long enough (a couple years or so?) for the Dems to regain control of a chamber or two without having to face the cacophony.

Unlikely since teacher contracts are for either one or two years. So by the time the next gubernatorial election rolls around all school districts will be operating under the new law.

Alpha/Freder/Montaigne notwithstanding, this is the money quote, "The changes mean Kaukauna can reduce the size of its classes -- from 31 students to 26 students in high school and from 26 students to 23 students in elementary school. In addition, there will be more teacher time for one-on-one sessions with troubled students."

The union teachers bitch about how they need more money and "prep time" to do their job. By not giving in to their demands, now you have smaller classes (more attention per student), more one-on-one attention, and 1/2 hour a day more prep time.

Kell Sir Prize.

And we also have this, "WEA Trust said, 'We can match the lowest bid,'". Funny what happens when you break up a racket.

Wow..I'm being castigated by the same people who spewed hate when Elizabeth Edwards died. I wear that scorn as a badge of honor. There are, of course, Republicans who believe in abortion rights. And yes, there are Dems who believe in school choice[ironically, the biggest % are black parents who vote overwhelmingly Dem]. We have never had a Republican president who believed in abortion rights. We do have a president who is pretty damn good regarding education. However, that is not the Dem party line. Now..go look @ photos of Reagan and jerk off[if you're female or gay]. For hetereo men..you have Palin and Bachmann, sort of a twin fantasy!

MadMan, I searched too. It's not even available for web order, as far as I can tell. Damn, it's only 10:30 AM here and I want me some Wisconsin cheese spread. All because of a brave school district in Kaukauna.

Daughter is a teacher btw, and pays a lot more for her pension and insurance than these teachers do. Even after the new law.

I do believe we overlooked the mother of all slut walks; the protests in and around the Wisconsin rotunda. Those misguided, protesting dupes from who knows where, give sluts a bad name. They need to be told to beat their "drums" in the privacy of their own hovels.

These are the kind of reforms that are needed across the entire country. But you don't need to be President to do it. Got that President Obama? You didn't have to be President to do that. You could have just run for Governor of Illinois.

Too bad Obama went to Harvard and Walker went to...where did Walker go? Oh right.

I hadn't really bought into the fact of an America in decline until some European company bought our beloved Anheuser-Busch.

Scott M, I gather from your comment that you have decent taste in beer. I would argue that Anhueser-Busch's acquisition by InBev is evidence of European decline, and actually may be evidence against American decline.

That's pretty damned funny. I personally love all the microbrews that have cropped up in our area and pay the premium to drink them instead of the pisswater the bigs put out regularly. That being said, a tour of AB is still a tad awe inspiring.

Even though we are very happy with our health insurance carrier and pay pretty low rates, we send the whole package out for bid every year and make it clear to the incumbent that we will switch if we get a better deal. Our rates are about 50% lower than the national average.

Smaller class sizes have a trivial -- in fact almost unmeasurable -- effect on student outcomes after the third grade. Adequate prep time, on the other hand has a large and easily measurable effect on student outcomes, especially in math and science.

So this story seems to be a case of a public body that got a million dollar windfall, and has decided to spend it foolishly rather than wisely.

Adequate prep time, on the other hand has a large and easily measurable effect on student outcomes, especially in math and science.

Define prep time. If a teacher has developed a lesson plan to teach geometry, why would that work have to be duplicated class to class? I'm assuming you're referring to grading papers and homework and such? Why would lesson plans on fixed topics like math require duplicate work from class to class on the same subject?

Adequate prep time, on the other hand has a large and easily measurable effect on student outcomes, especially in math and science.

Since math is a relatively unchanging discipline, especially at the elementary and high school level, just how much preparation can there possibly be, once you have taught the class more than once.

Science does seem to be in flux, especially with the global warming Gaia worship distorting things. However, the core of science is also relatively stable.

It is also my understanding from teachers that I know that the course curriculum is basically given to the teacher and much of the prep work is already done.

I've taught classes before, investment theory (etc) and music. Once you have created the course, there is very little prep.

What has more outcome on teaching is if the teacher actually knows the subject and spends time teaching the subject instead of preaching and indocrtinating the students. That preparation, knowing your subject, should have been accomplished long long before, during YOUR educational process.

In re: Governor Walker's comment quoted in the Byron York column in the Washington Examiner, ...will gain acceptance "with every day, week, and month that goes by that the world doesn't fall apart".

He's quite right, but I think that this Kaukauna development emphasizes the need to turn our attention to the makeup of the local boards of education, etc. What are the people composing these institutions thinking of, when, as they did in Eau Claire, in the last moments before the budget vote, hurriedly passed an extension of the existing teacher contract without analyzing the possibilities that the CB change might mean to the school district. It is time for renewed interest in running for these positions. We have been given the tools, now we must use them.

And, (be still my heart), is it possible that we can use these tools to review and improve school curriculum content? A little thought on this matter will reveal that the possibilities for improvement are endless.

Prep time: You know - time for stretches, to warm up the voice, focus, "visualize" successfully teaching the plan. Time for adequate rest before a grueling and strenuous session of explaining trig. Prep time.

And were they offered in good faith without the ability to go back on them again at the first opportunity?

This is the whole point of limiting the collective bargaining on certain issues. If the unions even DID offer concessions, there was no certainty or guarantee that they wouldn't just backpeddle the next time.

You cannot possibly budget or plan with that level of uncertainty.

As time goes on, peopl will appreciate the genius of limiting the collective bargaining aka: extortion.

ebutcher, Indeed some people did pray for Elizabeth Edwards. I was one of them. And, I was called a lefty, and other things. The irony being I ALWAYS detested her husband and really had little use for her. But unless it's Bin Laden, Hitler, Pol Pot, etc. I'm simply going to say RIP. However, there is a record and all you need to do is click onto the responses back @ the time of Edwards death, where some of the major players here spewed hate, or classless comments. I will take you @ your word that you were not one..I believe in honor. Those who did spew hate and classlessness probably know who they are, but knowing human nature I realize they may not see it, or admit it.

Regarding abortion. I have said I'm opposed. I respect people who work toward making adoption the cool thing, doing something positive. I have hope that Hollywood has changed to a certain degree evidenced by movies like Juno. However, I also see how the most vitriol and violence on the subject comes from men on both sides of the debate. Interesting, don't you think?

When I was twelve, an impromptu bottlerocket (using pipe like bazookas) war between my cousins and I versus my dad and uncles broke out in the clearings and woods surrounding our summer cabin. Cabin is quite a big word for basically a large tent made out of wood, but, regardless, it escalated every year until we all grew up and moved out.

I can't WAIT until my kids, now 7, 4, and 2, are old enough to start up again. I think my father, in lieu of explosives shot at each other, is planning some sort of super-soaker fight this year.

Teaching was my second career. I spent 24 years in the Air Force, in aircraft maintenance—both as enlisted and officer. Teaching is definitely more difficult and stressful. I have taught primary, middle school, high school, and college levels (college adjunct part time). Middle school is the worst. Teaching is a performance art. The amount of time you spend on stage is a fraction of the amount of time you spend rehearsing. It takes eight to twenty hours of preparation to create one hour of instruction. Once that hour is created, it's relatively easy to update and recreate it later, however, some schools move teachers around every year so that they have to start over every year. That means that some teachers are first year teachers every year. Of course there are some teachers who get stuck in a rut and never upgrade their material or skills. Everyone knows who they are except the administrators—or if they know they pretend they don't. I retired early because I could and because it was just too stressful to continue. Six hours in the classroom is equal to more than twelve hours on the flightline. Teachers are not really off in the summer. They have to take continuing education courses to maintain their certificates. My wife was glad when I quit teaching so that we could go on vacation and spend more time together. BTW, I have never taught in a unionized school district. I have worked in a unionized workplace and I did not like it. It was like having two bosses—each giving conflicting instructions.

I agree that an end to contractual work rules is a huge win. After all, it's the school board that's supposed to run the school for the benefit of the community and not the union that should be running the school for the benefit of its members. If the union wants to run a school, it should buy one.

But this "If walker had just accepted those concessions" meme is just a lie.

1. The concessions wouldn't have been offered without the threat to restrict collective bargaining.

2. And concessions would have been quickly removed if the threat had been withdrawn. Because, concessions promised by union leaders are in no way binding on the rank-and-file. (For that matter, the promises weren't even binding on those who made them).

Now, the collective bargaining agreement is gone, and the school district is free to shop around for coverage. And all of a sudden, WEA Trust has changed its position. "With these changes, the schools could go out for bids, and lo and behold, WEA Trust said, 'We can match the lowest bid,'" says Republican state Rep. Jim Steineke, who represents the area and supports the Walker changes. At least for the moment, Kaukauna is staying with WEA Trust, but saving substantial amounts of money.

Of course you can save money if you dictate everything your employees do by sheer fiat. There is now no particular reason why the Kaukauna school board couldn't demand that it's teachers do all seven periods and work a 44 hour week and save even more money. Or a 48 hour week. Or and or and or and or.

There is a name for this kind of workplace. They call it a Sweatshop.

It's not a Sweatshop because employees are forced to do the impossible, it's not a Sweatshop because employees are made to do more work, it is a Sweatshop because the management can demand it's employees to do any foolish thing that comes into its head--to teach standing on their hands or dressed in sackcloth and ashes, if they so choose--without any regard whatever for the fact that they are employing professionals and that they are interacting with fellow human beings.

Such a great burden! To have to sit across a table with your employees and actually listen to them as intelligent human beings instead just of talking at them as the "hired help". Poor babies!

But I'm sure the Board isn't unreasonable and would be open to calling everyone an "associate" to make them all feel better about it, just like they do in the big box stores. Just send President Todd a memo requesting it, and they'll think it over. Maybe they'll add "team meetings" to boost morale and keep everybody focused on the "mission statement".

You are a teacher yourself, Ms. Althouse. How many class preps and stand-ups do you do for a day? How many office hours do you keep? I'll bet it's not anywhere near even 5 classes a day or 2 1/2 hours a day outside class contact with students. I'll bet you don't work a 40 hour week either.

Oh, but of course you are a J.D., and have nothing in common with lesser breeds without the law who have a mere BA or MA in Elementary and Secondary Education. And you wouldn't [or don't] even if you merely had an LLB.

[Insert one loud, long, and juicy Bronx Cheer, here.]

So do you think it would be very "collegial" for your Law School Dean or your University Provost up there in Mad City to announce next fall that all professors will increase their class load by 15%, will keep mandated office hours every day, that the Faculty Senate will be abolished, and that the Tenure System will be scrapped so you will now be under terms of employment "at will" by the University and "at the pleasure" of your Dean?

We both know the answer. And it certainly would save the University a lot of money, now wouldn't it?

Your commenters largely may not know any of this, but how many of them have gotten involved with their local school, beyond making sure Brandy and Jason get there on time? Not many I would suspect.

How many of them have seriously tried to teach a group of 26 people something of importance? If they have, would they have done it any better with only 23 people?

We both probably could make at least an educated guess at the answers.

It's so very easy here on the Internet to talk of groups of strangers as mere sock puppets or illusions on the Holo Deck of the spaceship.

And who are the elementary and secondary teachers in your town, but a group of strangers whom you, me, and your commenters wouldn't know from Adam [or Eve] if passing by them while shopping at the Mall?

"The amount of time you spend on stage is a fraction of the amount of time you spend rehearsing. It takes eight to twenty hours of preparation to create one hour of instruction. Once that hour is created, it's relatively easy to update and recreate it later, however, some schools move teachers around every year so that they have to start over every year. That means that some teachers are first year teachers every year."

BFD. Ignore the fact that most teachers are not moved every year...8-20 hours of prep for a years worth of work? Oh, wait, that's not right. For 10 months worth of work...if we don't include spring and Christmas breaks.

@Joanna, after putting one child through 12 years of public and the other through 9 (plus 3 years of Montessori) I'd say that the lazy teacher, the burnt out case, the anger management problem, the doesn't want to teach the syllabus so the kids finish the year knowing hardly anything more -- and quite possibly less! -- than they knew going in, these all outnumber the good teachers by about 12 to 1.

Teachers want to be treated like professionals, but they belong to a union. Teachers want to be paid like engineers, but they don't want to work nearly as hard as an experienced engineer (letting aside that an engineer will be taking courses in partial differential equations and thermodynamics while a teacher takes "Fairy Tales I and II."

@Big MikeI'd say that the lazy teacher, the burnt out case, the anger management problem, the doesn't want to teach the syllabus so the kids finish the year knowing hardly anything more -- and quite possibly less! -- than they knew going in, these all outnumber the good teachers by about 12 to 1.

Just out of curiosity, how many of the 13 have you met personally, and know exactly what kind of problem teacher they actually are?

Teachers want to be paid like engineers, but they don't want to work nearly as hard as an experienced engineer

I'll presume you are an experienced engineer and know just how hard they work. But have you ever managed + or - 125 attention wandering children, in different groups of about 25, five times a day, day in and day out for nine months?

The answer: NO they would not have saved enough. The change to surplus came after a 2.75 million cut in support from the state. So the district saved between 4.5 and 5 million. Not two.

From - http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/124896984.html

"The Kaukauna School District, which expects to lose $2.75 million in state aid, was able to turn a $400,000 budget deficit into an estimated $1.5 million surplus by asking workers to pay more for health insurance and contribute pay toward their pensions. That district plans to hire teachers and reduce class size."